Coenobita rugosus
Coenobita rugosus
''Coenobita rugosus'' is a species of land hermit crab native to Australia and the east African coast to the south west Pacific.
''C. rugosus'' has four walking legs, a small pincer, a large pincer, and antennae. When threatened ''C. rugosus'' is able to make a 'chirping' sound by rubbing its large pincer against its shell as a stridatory apparatus.
''C. rugosus'' vary in colour depending on nutritional intake and common colours include green, brown and tan, but black, white, pink, and blue have also been observed. They can be differentiated from other species of land hermit crabs by the pronounced striations on their large pincer. ''Coenobita compressus'' and ''Coenobita perlatus'' also possess these striations to a lesser extent but can easily be distinguished from ''C. rugosus'' by size and colour; especially in the case of the ''C. perlatus'' which is a striking red colour as an adult.
They can be 15 millimetres in length and their eyestalks are sandy in colour and may have a brown stripe on the bottom of them. The bottom pair of the second antena are light orange in colour. Their big claw has 7 ridges on the upper part and there is usually hair on the inside of both claws. On the last pair of walking legs, on the second segment, it is flattened and the colour is lighter. The abdomen is short and fat.
As with other species of land hermit crabs ''C. rugosus'' are scavengers and will consume plants, dead fish, fruit and other detritus.
''C. rugosus'' has four walking legs, a small pincer, a large pincer, and antennae. When threatened ''C. rugosus'' is able to make a 'chirping' sound by rubbing its large pincer against its shell as a stridatory apparatus.
''C. rugosus'' vary in colour depending on nutritional intake and common colours include green, brown and tan, but black, white, pink, and blue have also been observed. They can be differentiated from other species of land hermit crabs by the pronounced striations on their large pincer. ''Coenobita compressus'' and ''Coenobita perlatus'' also possess these striations to a lesser extent but can easily be distinguished from ''C. rugosus'' by size and colour; especially in the case of the ''C. perlatus'' which is a striking red colour as an adult.
They can be 15 millimetres in length and their eyestalks are sandy in colour and may have a brown stripe on the bottom of them. The bottom pair of the second antena are light orange in colour. Their big claw has 7 ridges on the upper part and there is usually hair on the inside of both claws. On the last pair of walking legs, on the second segment, it is flattened and the colour is lighter. The abdomen is short and fat.
As with other species of land hermit crabs ''C. rugosus'' are scavengers and will consume plants, dead fish, fruit and other detritus.
